Southern Trip.

The Southern Trip didn't feel complete to me since most of the time we are doing our own thing and Gerard and Lena are also missing half of the week. It's the last big trip, so I was sad that we were not able to be together and live it up! The thing I like most about this trip is the time the spent at the local house. We get to experience the simple of the the locals. The area was so peaceful with the river across from our house and the cool breeze. Went to go catch some fishes for lunch, ate rat meat, and be able to see the stars at night. The best moment is when we came back from catching fish and found the host's daughter watching her cute music videos. After showering, some folks gathered around the TV and watched it with her. It reminds me of when I was young, waking to from my afternoon nap and while waiting for food, I would turn on the TV to watch cartoon or music videos. The life was so simple and peaceful, I forgot about that moment for a while. Same reason why I like our time at the village the best because that's when all of us are together doing things together.

As for development, Phu Quoc is definitely wont be the same next time I come back. When we were exploring the north side of the island, we stopped at this small shop to enjoy the beach and grab a drink. The area around there is still underdevelopment and have very few tourist attractions which is realllyy nice! As we were talking to the owner, she told us she only have a month left there because investors are coming in to rebuild the area and now she need to move out of the way. She told us she have been living there for 15 years, but they wont give her paperwork so now she is forced to move. The company does give her compensation, but she said she don't want to move, she likes it there. Stories like this we read in text books but hearing it from the victim makes it real. These people are being pushed out of their hometown in order for companies to serve tourists. Migration is something that comes with development. Moving in America is part of the culture, due to work, due to family, due to school. It is common for family to move houses and settling at the same house for more than 15years can be considered a long time and rare. When my family first arrived to America, we moved every year to a different location for the first 5 years. However, in Vietnam, most family probably stayed at the same house for generations! A few family members will be moving elsewhere due to work or school, but the main house will always be where they grew up. Development creates that conveniency for people to move about and I guess that's where the opportunity to find something better comes in. When people are not restricted no more at one spot, their options will open for whatever they wanted to do. tourism is blooming in Vietnam, while companies are making profit out of this beautiful island, the locals now are worrying how much longer they will be able to keep their house and enjoy the land that was used to be theirs.